Direction indicator



Aug. 7, 1934. J A, WEST 1,969,052

DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed June 19, 1933 5 BEEF gamen' L/EET 5 p SIW/m 'Z 7 ILM@ M Patented Aug. 7, 1934 rtree srnres rarest foi-rice f f1;9s9,o52 nraECrIoN INDICATOR Yosef August West, "Kellogg, yIdaho .Application .June .-19, ,1933,Sena1-:Nm A'676,486

`zfelaims (C1. s3-"215) iMy 'present invention 'irelates to an improved direction iindic'atorol 'the :pendulum itype, ior iuse in combination with straight-edge geometrical instruments, for levelingffgrading, `and plumbing operations. The direction indicator of imy invention :may be a lpo(siret-'instrument, or '-toolbox -.device, that :is `applicable i'for use in l'combination 'with geometrical instruments 'having one or more straight edges, `as tfor instance VaA T- square, an angle, la straight-edge bar or plate,

or, as illustrated inthe drawing, Va carpenters square, vland fthe indicator -may fbe utilized '-by mechanics, farmers, yirrigation engineers, and others. As an example of a specific use o'f `the 'i direction indicator, fit is '.usfulto irrigators in establishing grades l-with =a straight-edge, when laying out irrigation ditches 4and frlaterals therefrom, lbut Aof course many lether iproblems of this nature maybe solved quickly and accuratelyby the luse fof :the fdirection indicator -in combination with an appropriate straight-edge.

carrying -out V:my invention 'I employ "an instrument Yof rectangular shape, preferably square, having a circular, double-face, dial, Aand @5i dual `pointers or needles of the pendulum Etype,

I the straight-edge.

'I'he 'invent-ion consistsin vcertain 'jnove'l lcominations and varrangements of parts in the `construction of the direction indicator as will be more clearly vset forth hereinafter, vand claimed.

' In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example -of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and 'arranged according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in this exemplified structure, within the scope of my appended claims, without l departing from the principles of my invention. h5

Figure 1 is a plan view or face view of a Adirectionl indicator x'erribedy'ing my invention, -one corner of l'the `instrument being gbroken away to disclose a roller and ione "of 'the fastening felipe. Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view vzattlin'e 2-#2 of Figure 1.

Figure '-3 is :a lview 4showing the instrument or direction 'indicator Vattached `=to a square, and showing by dotted lines ya second position lof fthe instrument on the straight ledge of vthe -square.

Figure `Yi is 'a detail perspective view of Jone I df "the "angular spring, attaching clips, one -pair of the angular 'clips being employed at eac cornerof 'the instrument. l

AFigure "5 is lan enlarged, vsectional ydetail View -at line of 'Figure '1. i

Inthe preferredform of the invention Yas shown in the 'drawing `'I have Adesignated -the instrument as 1.a whole by lthe letterr A kand this Aincludes VIEa rectangular `blockjor 'stock comprising two outer,

spacedp'lates 1"an`d"2 lo'isuitable materiaLhav'ing rounded corners 'and opencenteraand :the plates form the sides 'of 'the holder portion -of the Ainstrument. Between "the =two -side lplates l1 land '2 o'f *the holder an iintermediate'fspacing plate Jor iiller is retained 'byfmeans of screws '4 ithat'pass through nne'sidepla'te and the intermediate'plate and enter the Aother Vside plate, as best -seen in Figure 5.

'The stock :or block made Yup fof the layers `or plates 1, 2, andBj, *forms 'anopen center holder forth'e 'other parts of "the ldirection indicator, and as indicated especially in ligures 2 fand "5 this holder has a groove about its square periphery, which :groove is bounded bythe two sidepla'tes -a1 and '2 and :the 'inner 'spacing Lplate 13, so that the grooved instrument A may "be slipped over the straightedge ,of a geometrical instrument, suchas a carpenters square 5S 'in Figure 3. Any 4one 'of the four groovedlside Yedges of the `holder may be usedin combination'with the-straight edgeoritwo side edges ofthe holder maybe employed with two angular straight edges, as indicated in Figure' 3, by dottedlines and fullilines. Y

At the four corners of the -rectangular. holder are arrangedfour pairs of angular attaching 'clips as .5, Yfashioned lof resilient 'metal in the 'shape indicatedlin Figures 1 and 4. Each clip 4has v'a hole 16 for 4a vscrew 4, andthe angular endsv oi the clips terminate inspring jaws7,"7. As best *seen in Figure 5 the clips are arranged in pairs and inserted in between the inner spacing plate 3 and the two side plates 1 and 2 of the holder or stock, and the screws 4 retain the pairs of clips in rigid position. By their location at the corners of thel holder, the pairs of clips provide two spaced complementary pairs of resilient jaws 7 at each of the four sides of the holder, and any one of the four sides of the holder may thus be employed for frictionally engaging the direction indicator on, or attaching it to, a straight-edge, and the two pairs of spring jaws hold the instrument in position on the straight edge.

'Io insureaccurate engagement of the direction indicator with the straight edge', and to avoid direct contact of the holder with grit, dust, dirt, &c on the straight edge that would otherwise prevent accurate sliding contact with the straight edge; I provide at each corner of the holder an antifriction roller 8 having trunnions 9 that arejjournaled in sockets in adjoining inner faces of the plates 1 and 2. As indicated in the drawingthe rollers are located in the grooves of the side edges of the holder or stock, and the'outer peripheriesrv open center holder by means of a number of set screws 10, that are threaded through the spacing plate 3, from its outer edge or edges to engage theouter periphery ofthe wedge ring, This ad-1 justable wedge ring forms the base or support for the pendulum structure, and the whole structure, including the wedge ring may be turned within the holder, afterscrews 10 are loosened, with the center ofthe direction indicator as theaxis of rotation,for'the purpose of settingv or'adjustingthe p'endulu'mvstructure or indicator inthe-holder.` The weight 11, which forms part of the pendue lum, is pivoted by its trunnions 12 in the side walls 13 and 14 vof an inclosingl, circular casing,` and the two needles or pointersvleand 16 mounted on the trunnions and rigid with the weight, but exterior of the casing, co-act with the degree marksthat form the dials on. the outer faces of.

the two side walls 13 and 14. An insetrimll formsthe circumferential wall of .the rdial-case, and this rim has exterior, oppositely extending ilanges that form seats for the two circular lenses or glass panels r18 and 19 for the dials. c

' Two exterior retaining rings 20 a Vd 2.1 hold the dial-case in position withintheenclosing wedge ring, the ring 20 being provided with internal screw threads to engage complementary external threads on the ilanged, rim, and the ring '21 hav-L ing external threads Vcomplementary `to internal threads on thewedge ring.

It` will be understood of course vthat the pen-, dulumindicator swingson kthe-trunnions V12, and.

thepointers or needles l'randlindicate on'the,

dialsl and 14 the, degree of angularity.' '.7 e l e. `The holder is provided withY diametrically arranged gage marks 22fand 23, forming xedper-g.

pendicular and horizontal lines 'on the holder, and normally, vthe zero marks of the dials coincide with thel perpendicular rgage `marks V22.

Thusin adjusting the indicator in its'holder, the upper zero mark in Figure lmay beturned to theright or leftofthe perpendicular I narlrl2`2v clips. f

to indicate a predetermined degree of rise or fall of an irrigation ditch, and by the use of the adjusted indicator in combination with a straight edge this inclination may be maintained, uniformly, with the adjusted indicator, in laying out or grading the ditch.

It will be apparent that if the longer leg of the carpenters square in Figure 3 were a straight edge of suitable length, andwith the direction indicator mounted `on the upper edge of the straight edge or bar, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, the rise or fall of a grade can readily be determined by reference to the pointer of the pendulum.

When Vthe indicator is mounted on the longer leg of theV square S, the desired tilt or inclination of this leg may be indicated by the pointer or pointers, and of lcourse the straight edge may be vleveled in accordance with the position of the pointer on the dial.

For yplumbing an upright object, `theshorter, or, upright leg of the'square S is placed against the object, and the direction indicator is yused onthe upright straight edge of the. square in Figure 3.

Under some circumstances, the indicator may be removed from its holder orstock, and seated inone of the-circular holes:24, 24, of the square c in Figure 3, and .these holes areprovided with permanent perpendicular and horizontal gage lines similar toy those on the stock or holder for. correct adjustment vof the direction indicator in the blade or leg of the square.

From the above description taken inconnection with .my drawing it will be lapparent lthatfI have devised an instrument that is comparatively simple in' construction and operation, and` one that maybe relied upon forcorrect and accurate ndi-ngs that are -useful in solving numerous problems encountered -by mechanics, artisans, engineers, and others.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iv claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent istl Y n j Y 1. In adirection indicatorreethe combination with a rectangular holder .comprising side plates and an intermediate plate of reduced ,dimensions to form grooved edges, of contact rollers jour-f naled inthe side plates at the corners of the holder-and located'within the grooved edges for contact with a straightedge, .meansdisposed at opposite sidesof each-roller for clasping Athe opposite facesof the straight edge, and fastening. screws passing through said-plates and clasping means.

e 2. In aadirection indicator, the combination with a rectangular holder .comprising side plates andan intermediate plate of reduced dimensions to form grooved edges,VV of contact rollers jour-V naled in the side plates at the corners of the holder Vand located within the .grooved edgesfor contact with astraight edge,apair of flat angular clips Asecured .in each-corner between adjoin. ing plates, resilient jaws on each clip for clasping opposite faces ofthe straight edge, ,andiastening screws passed through said platesand JOSEF YAUGUST e. 

